Alistair Darling: The Government recognise the importance of the UK oil and gas industry to our economy and the dependable foundation it provides for the UK's energy security.
	While we are trying to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels we must and do recognise that this will be a long transition and our oil and gas reserves will continue to play a vital role in supplying our energy needs for many years to come.
	We must ensure that the UK taxpayer receives a fair return from the extraction of our national resources. We are, however, committed to maximising the economic production of the UK's reserves, for the fuel this delivers, for the contribution this makes to our economy, and for the jobs and skills the industry supports and develops.
	For these reasons, today I am announcing secondary legislation that is to be laid before the House of Commons in due course and, subject to approval by the House, will support the development of remote gas fields in the west of Shetland region. The area to the west of the Shetland islands is the last major area in the UK continental shelf to be developed and infrastructure is critical to fully unlocking the gas potential of the region. It is estimated that the area contains around 20 per cent. of the UK's remaining oil and gas reserves.
	The legislation, if approved by the House, will extend the field allowance, announced in Budget 2009, to remote deep water gas fields, which are found in the west of Shetland area. The field allowance works by exempting an amount of income from the supplementary charge. All profits generated by qualifying fields are still subject to ring fence corporation tax.
	The legislation is to be introduced by Order and it is our intention that it will be effective from the day after the day on which it is made. Full details of this measure, including the proposed legislation, will be issued on HMRC's website in due course when the legislation is laid before the House of Commons.

Stephen Timms: Tax Information Exchange Agreements were signed with Antigua and Barbuda, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in London on 18 January 2010.
	The text of each TIEA has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and made available on Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs website. The texts will be scheduled to draft Orders in Council and laid before the House of Commons in due course.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Supreme Court has today delivered its judgment in the case of HM Treasury v.Ahmed and Others. The case concerns the UK's implementation of United Nations obligations to freeze the assets of terrorists and those associated with al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
	United Nations Security Council resolution 1267 in 1999 established a UN asset freezing regime against Osama bin Laden and persons associated with al-Qaeda and the Taliban. UNSCR 1373 in 2001, adopted shortly after 9/11, requires states to take a range of measures to deal with terrorism, including freezing the assets of those involved in terrorism.
	The UK has implemented these obligations through Orders in Council made under section 1 of the United Nations Act 1946. Section 1 of the UN Act authorises the Government to make an Order in Council to give effect to any decision of the UN Security Council where such provision appears to be
	"necessary or expedient for enabling those measures to be effectively applied".
	The Supreme Court has decided that the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 and the Al-Qaeda and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 are beyond the scope of the power provided by section 1 of the UN Act 1946 and it has quashed both orders. The Court will consider tomorrow whether to stay the judgment for a period.
	The Government made the Orders in Council in good faith based on their belief that section 1 of the United Nations Act was an appropriate legal vehicle and that it provided the most effective and timely way of implementing UN terrorist asset freezing obligations.
	The Government are committed to maintaining an effective, proportionate and fair terrorist asset-freezing regime that meets our United Nations obligations, protects national security by disrupting flows of terrorist finance, and safeguards human rights.
	In the light of the court's decision and the ongoing significant threat from international terrorism, the Government intend to bring forward fast-track primary legislation to restore the UK's terrorist asset-freezing regime. The Government also intend to bring forward affirmative procedure regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 to ensure that enforcement provisions are in place to implement fully EC Regulation 881/2002 in respect of measures against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Planning

Harriet Harman: Today the Government have published their official response to the National Equality Panel's report, "An Anatomy of Economic Inequality in the UK". The National Equality Panel's report, which has also been published today, and the full Government response document can be found online at: www.equalities.gov.uk, and I have placed copies in the House of Commons Library. Printed copies of the NEP report and the Government's response are available upon request from the Government Equalities Office.
	To build a modern, prosperous society, we have to tackle the barriers that unfairly hold people back and give everyone the opportunity to succeed. Equality matters in the modern world:
	for individuals, who are entitled to fairness and to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and achieve their aspirations and not be held back;
	for the economy, because the economy that will succeed in the future is one that draws on the talents of all; and,
	for society, because an equal society is more cohesive and at ease with itself.
	That is why I commissioned the National Equality Panel in 2008, chaired by Professor John Hills, to undertake an in-depth analysis of economic inequality in the UK today. The panel has examined how a range of factors-including gender, race, disability, social background and where you live-are associated with and influence how people fare at school and at work, their earnings, income and wealth.
	The panel's report sets out the scale of the challenges that will need to be addressed if we are to effectively tackle inequality in the UK. The National Equality Panel's report confirms our strongly held view that public policy intervention can and does make a difference to economic inequalities.
	We welcome the panel's groundbreaking report. We have made progress over the last 13 years. Some of the widest gaps in outcomes between social groups have been reduced, and trends reversed in the last decade. For example the attainment gap between black and white pupils fell from 18 per cent. in 1997 to 6 per cent. in 2008. The pay gap between men and women has also narrowed. But we are also determined to build on this and achieve more to create a fairer and more prosperous society. It is unacceptable that social background and other factors make so big a difference to the ability of people to fulfil their aspirations and potential.
	The Government will continue to make the choices that prioritise fairness and aspiration.